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A member of the Adobe Creative SDK team interviewed ITP faculty member Rob Parke!
Please see this link for the full interview: Creative SDK Interview

Creative SDK guest lecture at USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering by Ash Ryan

Back in March, the Adobe Creative SDK team sponsored Droidcon SF, where we set up a booth to show developers the Creative SDK in action. During Droidcon, I gave a code workshop on integrating the Creative SDK Image Editor into an Android app.

It was there that I met USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Rob Parke. Rob kindly invited me down to USC to give a guest lecture, and walk his students through building a basic integration with the Creative SDK Image Editor on Android.

We made that happen last month, when I visited Rob’s Android development students during one of their classes. I had a lot of fun working with his students during the 2-hour workshop, going from setting up an Android Studio project to integrating the SDK.

After the workshop, I asked Rob a few questions about his role at USC, his advice for students, and what technologies are currently exciting to him. He even shared with me a little about a new minor he is creating (hint: electronic device creation and production)!

I’d like to share that conversation with you below.

Hi Rob!

Hi everyone!

Please share with us a little about your background and what you teach at USC.

I’m a Senior Lecturer in the Information Technology Program (ITP) at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. My academic background is in computer science and electrical engineering, and I have been fortunate to work in a diverse set of fields ranging from software development to post-production sound.

At ITP, I currently teach Introduction to Python and Android App Development.

How much of a technical background do your students typically have before starting your classes?

It varies based on the course, but for our introductory courses, student need no previous technical background.

ITP is a really exciting place because our primary mission is to teach applied technical skills to students who are non-computer science / non-engineering majors. We offer a host of minors from mobile app development to analytics to computer forensics/security that students can combine with their undergraduate degree. For example, one of the top students in my Android course last semester is now in a Ph.D. program for history.

My Python class is introductory, so most students have never programmed before. I tell the students that it will be challenging, but that the course is designed so that everyone can be successful.

The Android course is the third in a sequence which is preceded by Introduction to Python (or Java/C++) and then Data Structures, but students still have varied backgrounds. For example, it could be the third programming course for a sophomore majoring in art, and it could be a technical elective for a graduating fifth-year senior majoring in computer science.

Do you recommend that students pick up any specific skills before the semester starts?

For Android, I recommend they learn Java syntax since some students may be new to Java and that they review object-oriented programming.

The syntax and Java-specific elements such as collections are pretty straightforward for those with C++ experience. However, they definitely benefit from learning (or relearning) the deeper object-oriented concepts, such as what static means in different contexts, how anonymous inner classes work, and what polymorphism/inheritance look like in a real-world system.

For most students, this is their first experience working in a very large codebase / existing ecosystem and it is easy to get overwhelmed by all the moving parts, so understanding those fundamentals is helpful.

What advice do you have for students who take an introductory programming class and discover they love it?

Learn more and program more!

When students discover that they really enjoy it, they are usually surprised since there is a stereotype of what a programmer is (which they do not fit) or what programming is like. The most critical thing is to keep challenging themselves, to develop a strong foundation of core programming concepts, and to connect to the larger community (with friends, online, through meetups, etc.).

I encourage students take a second, more advanced course, which would typically be Data Structures. In lieu of that, I strongly suggest some kind of structured learning, which could be a book or online course. It is also engaging to work on a project that they care about. This could be a simple game to show their friends, a program for a club or hobby, or anything that captures their interest enough to dig deeper.

It is exciting because students realize that programming can be part of their career—regardless of their grade level or their major. Some will find that they can use Python scripts to automate data processing in business or research; others will add a programming minor to combine software development with their major discipline; others will change their major to computer science or pursue a post-baccalaureate program; and others will enroll in industry-focused boot camps.

What’s your preferred method for keeping up to date with what’s happening in the Android ecosystem?

It is a challenge, but fun!

Technical blogs are great resources, and I also really enjoy attending Android developer conferences since it is a great chance to meet and learn from industry experts.

It is important for me to keep up to date with the direction of Android development to help prepare students for internships and jobs, so I solicit feedback from industry professionals on curriculum. I am always learning from students that share what they learned at internships or from independent projects as well.

What technologies are exciting to you these days?

I am excited by how accessible it has become to manufacture physical devices.

I am creating a minor for electronic device creation and production that will be open to all majors, similar to our mobile app development program. With rapid prototyping and electronics knowledge, students can develop all sorts of innovative products such as wearables or connected devices.

Thanks to USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Rob Parke for having me out to give a Creative SDK code workshop for his students!

The Majdi Najm Outstanding Service Award is given annually to an individual or individuals who have provided outstanding service to the SAP University Alliances program.
Check out the article here:
http://scn.sap.com/community/uac/blog/2016/02/25/announcement-nany-jones-and-nitin-kal%C3%A9-receive-the-2016-majdi-najm-outstanding-service-award

Congratulations to our ITP student team who won the Deloitte/SAP CoInnovation business case contest in Dallas this weekend! Three Enterprise Information Systems students were nominated from Professor Kale's class to compete and ended up winning the contest!
Learn more about this event here:
http://www2.deloitte.com/…/…/gx-sap-co-innovation-event.html

Congratulations to our very own ITP Faculty member, Rob Parke, for being featured as the Developer of the Month in the Qualcomm Developer Network.
“My enjoyment comes from teaching students how to develop mobile apps,” says Parke. “For most of them, it is the first time their programming experience comes to life in the real world.”
Check out his article here: https://developer.qualcomm.com/…/developer-month-rob-parke-

Our very own Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia received great press at the Colorado Innovation Network Summit last week with her discussion of Using Games to Get Girls Excited About Tech. Check out her interview here: http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/play-code/

Photos from our awesome Summer at USC Program with our very own ITP faculty, Tom Sloper, Karen McMullan, and Anthony Borquez! These fantastic high school students finished their Intro to Video Game Design course and had a great summer with us!

Congrats to our incredible ITP students for winning FIRST place at the annual Deloitte Foundation Cyber Threat Competition! The USC team presented the best analysis and incident response approach to a simulated cyberattack in order to claim the victory!

"For the past 25 years, the Commission on the Status of Women hosts a special Council presentation recognizing "Pioneer Women" living in each Council District. Councilmembers each choose a notable, inspiring or trail-blazing woman to be honored during the presentation. This year, Mike chose to honor not just a game-changer, but a game-maker."

Read Shirin's full interview, where she talks about her work to get young women involved in technology and other S.T.E.M. disciplines, HERE.

ITP faculty member, Trina Gregory, recently involved ITP students in the development and design of a new mobile app called BioGram! "The free app, the first to allow heart rates to be shared with a photo, is available now for download on iTunes."

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Throughout the month, ITS will publish a series of security tips, best practices, and other educational materials designed to help you be more secure online both at USC and in other areas of your daily life.

On October 30, ITS will host a cyber security summit, open to all USC students, which will include videos, faculty presentations from ITP and other USC faculty members, and panel discussions about important information security issues.
For more information about the summit, you may visit: https://cio.usc.edu/2014/10/03/its-to-host-cyber-security-summit/

If you are interested in attending the summit, please visit the USC Events page at www.usc.edu/esvp and RSVP with the code BeSafe2014 by Friday, October 24, 2014.

Chitvan Gupta has been an ITP lab assistant and grader for ITP Mobile App classes for the past couple of years. Recently, she was awarded one of the 2014 Randy Pausch Scholarships from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS).

Michael Crowley was awarded the VSoE Award for Service – Nominees in this category by contribution of their time, ideas, attitude, etc. have made a significant impact on university, school or department objectives. This is not judged by years of service to a unit or the school, but rather how the staff member has contributed in a larger sense to their unit or the school. These employees are generous with their time and knowledge, and promote a culture of excellence acro

Lisa Mataczynski was awarded the VSoE Staff Early Career Award – Nominees in this category will have recently joined the School in the past 1 to 3 years. They may have other university experience, but will have recently joined the VSoE. Their performance must above normal expectations, and beyond the basic functions of their job. These are employees who demonstrate very quickly in their performance the qualities of excellence. We would expect to see them nominated for the Award for Excellence in future years. Candidates for this award must have been with the School for at least one year and less than three years.

From the Classroom to the Locker Room: Teaching the Next Generation of Sports Analysts

As technology has become more sophisticated so too have the processes by which we evaluate sporting performance – sports analytics. If books such as “Moneyball” have taught us anything, it’s that sports analytics can make a huge difference. Meet fi ve professors who are leading the charge in teaching sports analytics around the world. Hear why they believe this topic is so important to teach, the problems they face in designing and teaching these curriculums, and what they hope to inspire by doing so.

A life-long sports fan Dr. Jeremy Abramson has always been fascinated by the impact and importance quantitative information has on athletic competition. He is interested in the acquisition, processing, analysis and visualization of sports-related data, as well as how to construct narratives around the entire process. Jeremy teaches “Introduction to Sports Analytics” in the University of Southern California’s Information Technology Program. The course acquaints students with the multi-displinary aspect of sports analysis, through examples and guest speakers in the fields of statistics, economics, operations research and computer science.

Recently, Jeremy has become involved with the development of quantitative sports analysis curriculums, from K-12 STEM programs to potential specialized graduate degrees. At the collegiate level, his focus is on developing curriculum that gives students a broader base of skills and domain knowledge than traditional existing programs. As this exciting field evolves, he is dedicated to answering the question “How do we prepare the next generation of students for a career in sports analysis?”

Jeremy holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of California, Davis, and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. Follow him on twitter at @jeremyabramson.

Nitin Kale, Associate Professor of Engineering Practice at the Information Technology Program, has been awarded a Visionary Member Award. This honor was bestowed at SAP TechEd 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The award was given by SAP University Alliances in appreciation of his exceptional dedication, professionalism, innovation, and engagement.

As announced at the SAP Academic Conference, student teams from U.S. universities are encouraged to submit their ideas for new mobile applications that leverage the SAP Mobile Platform and our breakthrough database SAP HANA. The mobile apps can be business or consumer focused in any of the 24 industries SAP works in. Teams are encouraged to take a design thinking approach with their business case to ensure a solution is: desirable, feasible and viable. App development experience is not required. Three finalist teams will be paired with SAP developers to build the mobile app and students will present the mobile app during an all-expense paid trip to SAPPHIRE NOW in Orlando!

This competition is the perfect way for students to build the app of their dreams while having the chance to interact with leaders in the technology industry. Spread the word and encourage involvement in the SAP University App Rumble! Watch a recording of the competition launchor read Heather’s blog to learn more.

Viterbi School of Engineering’s Information Technology Program announced Tuesday the addition of a mobile app development minor, with hopes to prepare students for the growing mobile app development industry.

Coded · The new Mobile App Development minor in the Information Technology Program will provide students with the skills to succeed in the mobile app industry, including in mobile game programming.

The mobile app development minor comprises 20 units of classes within the information technology program. The topics range from mobile game programming to building high-tech startups.

Trina Gregory, a lecturer in the information technology program, said the department created the minor in order to attract students who are interested in designing and developing mobile apps, regardless of their major.

“We are hoping to attract students who want to develop mobile apps,” Gregory said. “This minor will complement many majors such as computer science, biomedical engineering, industrial systems engineering, communication, journalism, business and economics.”

Gregory said the industry has grown considerably in the past couple of years, and the minor includes ITP courses that help students gain knowledge about the mobile industry.

“I taught the first mobile app development course in spring 2009, [and] since then we have been developing and offering [more] courses,” Gregory said. “We hope to grow the minor and continue to add more classes to it.”

Additionally, Gregory said the new minor would be particularly lucrative for students looking to be employed in a variety of industries.

“It’s so exciting because it’s such a dynamic industry,” Gregory said. “It used to be that companies wanted web developers since every company had a website, and now companies want mobile apps. Companies in all types of industries need mobile app developers.”

Anjali Shah, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, said the new minor would provide broad skills appropriate for many specific markets.

“Speaking from a biomedical perspective, so much of healthcare is transitioning to using mobile apps to help people monitor their health,” Shah said. “This minor is incredibly applicable and applies to all disciplines because everything is becoming viral and mobile.”

Some students highlighted the career benefits of understanding this minor.

“The use of mobile phones is becoming a huge part of the world’s everyday life,” said Katie Murphy, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering. “In order to make yourself more marketable or a more knowledgeable person, it would really be a great idea to have a basic knowledge of mobile app design.”

Kariah Davis, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering who said she would consider taking courses in the minor, said the new minor would be advantageous for students because it appears in several aspects of a students’ daily life.

“I do think it is a good thing for students with the way that the world is going now,” Davis said. “There’s apps on my phone, Twitter and Facebook. Viterbi offering it is just going to further that realm of technology, so I think it’s great.”

High school students may learn and live like USC students during the summer while earning college credit. Application deadline for Summer 2013 is May 8 for domestic students and April 1 for international students.

Neda Davarpanah was surfing the USC Web site when she stumbled upon the Summer@USC Program. She spotted a workshop in creative writing.

Serendipity. She applied and was accepted this past summer.

“I want to pursue writing as a career and will most likely major in something similar in college,” said the Oak Park High School junior from Thousand Oaks, Calif. “I wanted to see what a college class in that subject would be like.”

Her instructor introduced the class to a variety of literary formats new to her. For instance, she learned about flash fiction, a style of extremely brief literature. Stories may be less than a page, or only a paragraph.

“Now it’s one of my favorite genres,” Davarpanah said.

The Summer@USC program, sponsored by the USC Office of Continuing Education and Summer Programs with courses taught by USC Dornsife faculty, gives high school students the opportunity to engage in intensive academic study and co-curricular activities for four weeks during the summer. Students select one course from a wide variety of options including pre-law, science, pre-health, international relations, journalism, business, engineering and information technology. High school students live on-campus (a commuter option is available for students who live nearby and prefer to live at home) and earn three units of transferable USC elective credit. Non-credit two-week classes are also offered.

“The program lets high school students pursue an interest or learn about something they might not know they were interested in,” said Susan Kamei, associate dean for advanced and professional programs. “College admissions offices are looking for engaged students who want to make the most of their opportunities.”

“Summer@USC really has the balance of giving students an exciting, rigorous academic challenge as well as being a fun, supported way of getting their toe into what college life might be like.”

High school junior Erna Muradyan participated in Summer@USC in 2011 and 2012, taking courses in forensic psychology and international relations, respectively. Muradyan, an aspiring political scientist from Moscow, Russia, said her experiences at USC helped her improve her English and explore history and politics — two topics she’s been interested in since elementary school.

“The lectures were fun and informative, but most of all I liked the model United Nations simulations,” Muradyan said. “The course helped us learn the material in a really entertaining way.” Carlyn Williams, a high school senior from Belvedere, Calif., also participated in the model U.N. simulations.

“I was thrilled to learn more about the conflicts in Africa because only a week prior to the program at USC I returned from a month-long humanitarian trip to Kenya,” Williams said. “It was one of the most rewarding experiences I had because no matter where I end up in college, I now know which field I’m drawn to.”

This summer, the program is adding courses in legal reasoning and writing and geospatial sciences.

Led by James Brecher of the USC Dornsife Writing Program, “Legal Reasoning, Writing and Argumentation” will help students understand how attorneys think. Students will learn to write practical legal documents, meet legal experts and law school students, and attend proceedings of the 9th United States Circuit Court of Appeals and the 2nd District Court of Appeal held in Los Angeles.

Brecher’s goals for the class are to develop students’ critical reasoning, persuasive writing skills and teach them to write at a college level. They’ll be analyzing real cases, extrapolating the law and building arguments.

“We’ll be looking at the way the law works in the real world—how an attorney gets up and argues a case, what advanced persuasive writing is,” Brecher said. “We’ll also be talking to law school students and administrators to learn how students interested in law school can successfully prepare in high school and college.”

Another new course, “Navigating Our World: Science, Digital Mapping and Communication,” will teach students how geographic information science technologies can be used to understand their surroundings.

Under the guidance of Darren Ruddell, lecturer in the Spatial Sciences Institute in USC Dornsife, students will collect data in the field using global positioning systems (GPS) and other tools, and learn to use state-of-the-art spatial analysis software. They will synthesize their findings to reveal information about people and their environment.

“Students will have the flexibility to express their particular interest,” Ruddell said. “If they’re interested in urban planning, we could collect data on green spaces. If they want to learn about bike paths or public transportation, we can tailor our data collection to those interests.”

Ruddell said students will develop spatial thinking and technological skills that will be beneficial in any discipline. “Whether students are interested in medicine, geography, biology, anthropology, economics or the humanities, these skills are going to be transferable.”

In addition to the courses, students will participate in workshops that help them prepare for the college application process and for a career. Excursions to Los Angeles-area attractions are planned for weekends.

Reid Thom, a senior at North High School in Torrance, Calif., said the program taught him about life in college and reinforced his desire to be a Trojan. Both of his parents and two older sisters are Trojans, and Thom has applied to USC for the Fall 2013 admission.

“My experience on campus this summer really solidified my personal interest in USC,” he said, jokingly adding, “outside of the personal pressure to attend.” For Davarpanah, her most important take-away lesson was learning that she could handle the college experience.

“To many high school students, college is this abstract idea, this elusive goal that doesn't seem possible to reach sometimes because we are so absorbed by the process of getting there. Summer@USC reminded me what exactly it is that I am working toward and showed me that I only have wonderful experiences ahead of me.”

Learn more about Summer@USC at summer.usc.edu. Students and parents interested in the program can meet faculty and past participants at Come to Campus Day on Saturday, March 2.

For Los Angeles to be viewed as a viable technological pivot of the future, as outlined by the Mayor’s Council on Innovation and Industry, quality education must play an indispensable role in this concerted undertaking.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently stated that “Los Angeles is an incredibly creative, diverse city, offering a phenomenal lifestyle and anchored by academia and cutting-edge research from leading universities in our backyard.”

One such institution is the University of Southern California (USC), the state’s oldest private research university. It is here where Trina Gregory educates some 200 students yearly that attend USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering to learn about the fundamentals of information technology.

“My students expect me to teach them about the latest technologies in order to prepare them for jobs in the industry,” said Gregory, who holds a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and computer science. “These areas include mobile application development, computer programming, web development and overall information technology.”

Since mobile telecommunications is the fastest-growing commercial enterprise around that yields big bucks for application development, Gregory said her ambition is to motivate her students to keep pace with ever-evolving scientific creativity.

“I am currently teaching a class that covers how to develop mobile apps for iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads,” said Gregory, who has worked at USC since 2007. “Using Apple’s Xcode IDE, students learn to write native iOS apps. I am also teaching a class that covers the mobile industry, the various types of mobile apps and the business side of making apps, including how to design an app, build a prototype, monetize apps and create a business plan.”

Gregory said she appreciates the knowledge some of her more formidable students add to the educational process.

“Some of my students will come knowing about the latest mobile apps or a new framework to use for mobile and web development that I’m not familiar with,” said Gregory. “This has a positive effect on the class and encourages them to keep current with the latest tech trends.”

Gregory said her most significant professional accomplishment to date is implementing a new curriculum so students will be able to minor in mobile app development at USC. Her initiative will take effect during autumn of 2013.

“I firmly believe that I can make a difference in my students’ lives by preparing them for whatever lies ahead,” said Gregory. “I am passionate about computer programming and mobile app development, and the students react to this. They are learning the practical skills in order to compete globally for jobs and win.”

Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.

The DFO aims to meet every Wednesday from 7-8pm in GFS 222 (unless otherwise specified). They will be transitioning to meeting weekly from meeting biweekly last semester, so they may cancel a meeting here or there. This is who they have in the books so far-- many more to come!

Join the IBM Watson Case Competition and apply your knowledge and skills in a real-life business case judged by IBM and other business leaders! You will get to work in a team of business and engineering students giving you a unique experience from working with students outside of your major. In participating in this competition, you will also get to network with professionals from IBM Watson, one of the most well-known and innovative companies. This 3-day competition is Friday-Sunday, February 8-10, 2013. Prizes include iPad minis, Kindles, and more for the finalists!
Please read the IBM Watson Challenge message and take a look at the Agenda to prepare for the event.

By Sophie Fei Xu
It was like a dream. I had taken ITP 320 with Professor Kale and was taking Professor Vawter’s ITP 454 class. Professor Vawter introduced an opportunity to apply to attend the SAP SAPPHIRE conference. I was accepted and that is where my dream began.
SAP paid for the whole trip including flights, hotels, food, and even a private concert. On my flight to Orlando, I was placed in the First Class Cabin, surrounded by Deloitte senior managers. One partner revealed that 70% of their SAP related projects started at the annual SAPPHIRE Conference. Later on, I found out that the whole plane consists of Sapphire attendees. It was such a huge event that there were 3 SAP SAPPHIRE check-in windows right at the airport.

SAP SAPPHIRE is an annual conference meant for SAP customers to meet with SAP-related service providers, including Microsoft, IBM, PwC, Accenture, Dell, Hewlett Packard, and hundreds more. There were keynote speaker events, live demos, and new product launches. The three-day event attracted over 16,000 attendees to Orlando, another 10,000 followers online, and major press presence such as CNN lobbying in 6 studios right on the show floor.
SAP University Alliance team selected 40 college students from North America to display SAP’s influence as well as to evaluate the next generation of SAP professionals. In addition to exploring the show floor, the University Alliance Team presented to the executive board, learned about SAP HANA from its developers. We were also provided an overview of career opportunities. During one show floor tour, I conversed with an Accenture representative manager. He was so impressed by my knowledge of SAP that he presented me with a job offer right on the spot.

The evening schedules were as full as our day schedules. We had dinner in Downtown Disney with the executive board. On our last night, SAP threw a private Van Halen Concert at the Orlando Amway Center for SAPPHIRE attendees only. All the venders provided unlimited food and drinks that were paid for by Deloitte the concert sponsor.
It was such an exciting and inspiring event I was sad see come to an end. I would have never had the privilege to be part of such a remarkable event had I not taken courses with the Information Technology Program. I want to extend a special thank you to Professor Kale and Professor Vawter who encouraged me to apply and helped make my dream a reality.

Shirin SalemniaFounder and CEO PlayWerks
Shirin Salemnia currently serves as Founder and CEO of PlayWerks, a company that specializes in being the leading independent producer of children's interactive media and entertainment with content/IP on multi-platforms, and consumer products across all age demographics. The company strives to create and distribute innovative quality entertainment for the Children's Entertainment Industry.
Previously, Shirin worked as the Research Manager & Bratz Brand Manager at MGA Entertainment, where she combined her child and youth marketing expertise with her toy marketing experience to perform ongoing research and analysis of the most current industry trends, consumer motivations and competitor activity for over five years. Salemnia was also responsible for the design development of MGA’s Play Lab - a place where dyads and triads of children and their parents gather for in-house qualitative research right on MGA’s premises.
Prior to MGA, Salemnia worked at Mattel, Inc. in Worldwide Consumer Research for the Girls Division. Here, in addition to conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, she was responsible for supporting Strategic Planning in all related new business ventures.

Spoke November 29:
Jim Charne
Jim Charne is a California, New York, New Jersey, and Wisconsin Lawyer. His goal is always to provide experienced, personalized, and attentive legal counsel to clients located all around the world, in all aspects of interactive software entertainment, games, music, e-commerce, and other intellectual property-related businesses. He was the first President of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS), and has been recognized as a "Most Valuable Player" by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).

Spoke November 15:
St. John Colon, Video Game Developer and part-time lecturer, Viterbi School of Engineering Computer Science Department

Spoke November 15:
Lyle Hall, President/CEO, Heavy Iron Studios
Before joining Heavy Iron early in 2002, Lyle created and produced original as well as licensed properties while working at studios such as DreamWorks SKG, Crystal Dynamics and Virgin Games.

Spoke November 8:
Camber Jones, Cushman & Wakefield

November 3
ITP lecturer Tom Sloper participated in Blue Marble Game Company's first Brain Jam. Tom's team created a two-player board game in one day, entitled "Hoarder/OCD," in which players experience the challenges and joys of being obsessive-compulsive and/or a hoarder.

Spoke November 1:
Derek Asato, Vice President, The Bohle Company

Spoke October 25:
Jacob Black, Production Manager, Blue Marble Games
Jacob currently works for the Blue Marble Game Companyhelping to create games focused on rehab. From September 2004 through November 2011 he worked for Gameloft developing and publishing mobile games.

Spoke October 11:
Mike Costache spent the last 15 years as an entrepreneur, investment banker, author, university professor, motivational speaker, angel investor and as a pro-bono fundraiser for various children charities.

Spoke October 4:
Stewart Kosoy, Co-Founder of Digital Capital AG
Stewart Kosoy is highly regarded in the video games industry as a former Senior Partner at Interactive Studio Management, Executive Producer for MGM Interactive, Vice President of Product Development for GT Interactive, and Manager of Developer Relations at Sega of America.

Spoke September 27:
William Pitts, President of Napalm Entertainment
William Pitts, III, is an experienced game designer, coder and developer with more than 30 mobile and social games to his credit. He has served as creative director for independent startups, as well as a consultant for independent developer’s projects, and for several companies on the implementation of software and web design strategies. He has been instrumental with facilitating the user experience for companies without in-house tech staff. He also has served on the advisory boards of a number of technology companies.

Spoke September 20:
Tian Mu – Co-founder/CEO of Naked Sky Entertainment
Tian built a 3-person start-up into a high caliber game development studio. Since the company’s inception in 2002, he assembled a team of top-notch developers; secured various development, licensing, co-marketing, and distribution deals; oversaw the production of all the projects; ran theoperations of the studio; and raised funding from private investors for thedevelopment of a self-published, award-winning title. Tian has established marketing, distribution, and development partnerships with companies such as Microsoft, Sony, EA, Intel, nVidia, Epic Games, Riot Games, Valve, Paramount Digital, Majesco, and Bad Robot. Tian started in the games industry at age 15, working as a game designer at 7th Level while he was in high school. Prior to founding Naked Sky, Tian consulted for various software start-ups on business development, marketing, web development, and project design. He has studied in the U.S., China, and Japan, and has lived and worked in Asia, North America, and Europe. Tian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University.

The USC team is gearing up to win GeForce GTX Rivalries Competition against UCLA.
The team received their ammo crate (see photos below) from NVIDIA full with GeForce GTX gaming gear. The crate included all their survival essentials including copies of Call of Duty Black Ops II and more GeForce GTX goodness.
Vote for our school to get home field advantage at www.facebook.com/NVIDIAGeForce
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With more than a decade of experience in the mobile game industry, Josh Hartwell is the CEO of one of the leading independent mobile game publishers in the United States, Mobile Deluxe. Hartwell evangelizes premium casual games on the mobile platform and has been instrumental to the development and publication of titles such as the Solitaire Deluxe® franchise, JAMDAT Bowling, and the Number 1 seller on Verizon's deck, Big Win Blackjack. His leadership has brought Mobile Deluxe several industry firsts in the US, such as the first freemium app on Verizon, the first cross-app shared economy in the US, and the first peer-to-peer viral game replication technology for mobile. In 2012, Hartwell was named as a founding Board of Director on the Application Developer Alliance (ADA), a non-profit group that gives developers the tools, network, and policy environment to propel innovation.

Spoke Sept. 6:Aaron Cammarata, Co-Founder of voidALPHA

Aaron Cammarata has been developing videogames since he taught himself Logo on a Coleco Adam as an 8 year old. He turned pro in 1995, and was worked for companies including Activision, Neversoft, THQ, and Locomotive Games. He has contributed to top-selling games for console, PC, and handheld devices, including Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and multiple Pixar titles. He is passionate about innovation and creativity, and believes that videogames offer us entertainment experiences unlike any that have come before. In 2011 he founded game studio voidALPHA with partners Mark Day and David Nielsen, which currently has 4 titles in development. An avid gamer with a passion for game design as a craft, Aaron loves talking games, playing games, and making games. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Bucknell University.

Transform Entertainment is a pioneering company working to create AAA console games specifically targeting the growing women's market. Brandii has nearly 10 years of design and development experience in the games industry working with a wide array of platforms, genres, and markets for games ranging from giant AAA MMO's to award-winning indie titles. She has taught game design innovation, been published in respected game development textbooks, and helped start more than one collegiate game program.

Spoke August 30:Jeffery Buchanan, Next Media Animation

Jeff Buchanan is a veteran of Sega, Activision, Gazillion Entertainment, Online Warmongers, Arktos Entertainment Group, Double Tap Entertainment Group, Majesco Entertainment, Riot Games, and Nival Interactive USA. He has 18+ years of game development experience, working as a designer, 2d & 3d artist, animator, producer, creative director, motion capture director, writer, and voice actor. He has been involved in studio startups, team building, and developing marketplace strategies. He's traveled to numerous outsource studios in China, Eastern Europe, India, and Russia to gauge the abilities of the various organizations providing outsourcing support.

Dear Trojans:
Have a project you’re anxious for others to see? Now’s your chance to showcase your one-of-a-kind creation at this year’s USC Student Innovator Showcase brought to you by the USC Stevens Center for Innovation (Click here to apply). Get the chance to pitch your project to a panel of innovation experts from USC staff and faculty, along with successful entrepreneurs and investors from USC and the Los Angeles area. Participants also have the chance to win $9000 in cash prizes! Apply today http://stevens.usc.edu/2012_sisapplication.php
USC undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply!
The 2012 USC Student Innovator Showcase will be on Friday, Oct. 19 from 9:00AM – 4:00PM in front of the Hancock Foundation Building. At the showcase, the panel of judges will make rounds to each project and will look for the most innovative ideas.
Following the showcase, the panelist will select no more than 10 finalist to give a 3-minute “fast pitch” during the Student Innovation Fast Pitch from 5:00PM – 7:00PM at Herklotz Courtyard followed by 2-minutes of questions and answers from the panelist, peers and parents. Awards will be given to the top 4 innovators and the evening will commence with a networking reception.
Prizes include:

Most Innovative Award, $4,000 funded by the USC Stevens Center for Innovation;

Most Promising Business Concept Award, $4,000 funded by the Diem Shotwell Metcalfe Family Fund at the USC Marshall School of Business;

﻿Matt Barkley envisions his main role in any Heisman Trophy campaign to be devoid of endless interviews, slickly produced highlight reels, social media posts, high-tech phone applications and promotional gimmicks.
"My campaign," the USC quarterback says, "is on the field."

Professor Tom Sloper Presents at Future Salon LA
FutureOfGames120812
Video games have been around since the 1970s. The industry has generated money to rival the earnings of the film industry. But can it continue to do so? Thirty-year game industry veteran Tom Sloper analyzes the state of the game industry and where it is going, and promises to reveal a surprising platform of the future.

Tom Sloper has been a game producer and designer for 30 years. He has designed and produced games for most major console platforms from the Atari 2600, 7800, and Vectrex on up to the Playstation, Xbox 360, Dreamcast, and DS, among others. He's worked for Sega, Atari, Activision, and Yahoo. Currently he consults, writes, and speaks, and teaches about video games at the University of Southern California. His website is www.sloperama.com.

Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) will be seismically retrofitted this summer. This is a major renovation project which means the ITP main office, faculty and staff offices, and the ITP labs will be temporarily relocated for the summer. The ITP main office, the staff, and several of our faculty will move to The Lot (yes, the big white tent-looking thing that used to house the food court). Search the USC Map by typing in "TDF" to find our summer location: usc.edu/maps
The ITP Director, Michael Crowley, will have an office in SAL, room 227.
The move will start on Friday, May 4 and we will be settled into our new location by Tuesday, May 8.
We will move back to our regular OHE 412 location by the start of fall semester.
The ITP phone number will remain the same: (213)740-4542.

View ITP140_Flyer!
In ITP 140 you will learn about the mobile industry, mobile devices
and their operating systems, and tools to develop apps.
This is a prerequiste for other mobile classes and a
requirement class for a new pending mobile minor.

What software runs large corporations? How is global business managed these days? What is SAP? How do I land a consulting job? Enterprise Resource Planning systems run behind global business these days, integrating everything from human resources to sales, production to accounting. This Minor combines business process management and information technology to prepare students for a career in technical as well as business consulting in the ERP domain. Students will study various areas of ERP implementation, configuration, business intelligence, security and supply chain management. Electives are available depending on the students' academic and professional goals.

The Minor in Innovation: The Digital Entrepreneur is jointly sponsored by the Information Technology Program in the Viterbi School of Engineering and the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Marshall School of Business. The minor is designed for students from a range of backgrounds who are interested in starting their own digital ventures, working for start-up companies, or pursuing traditional jobs with large corporations and consulting firms that may involve launching new digital business units. Students will learn all major elements of launching a digital venture including ideation, feasibility analysis, high tech product management, online customer acquisition, technology implementation, online business models and monetization. Students will work on launching a digital venture in a team-based environment in the capstone class.

The Information Technology Program in the Viterbi School of Engineering handles advising and admissions relating to the minor, consulting as needed with the Grief Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Marshall School of Business.

The Computer and Digital Forensics minor combines both theoretical concepts and practical skills to prepare students for a career as a digital forensics investigator. Students will study various areas of cyber-forensics, including forensic methodologies and processes, digital evidence gathering and preservation, investigations and examinations, and court presentation. Electives are available depending on the students' academic and professional goals.

NEW COURSES:

ITP 115 – Programming in Python (3 units)

Prerequisite: none

12:00-12:50pm T/Th

Learn how to program using Python. With its high level data structures and clear syntax, Python is an ideal first language.

ITP 140 – Mobile Application Technologies (2 units)

Prerequisite: none

3:30-4:50pm M/W

Technologies, devices, operating systems, and tools of mobile applications, as well as the mobile industry. Students will use tools to create apps for different mobile devices.

Teach students the basic technologies and processes involved in the building web and mobile startups. Students will be introduced to the different aspects of building a web startup including Online Business models, Product management, Agile development processes, Technology platforms and Operations, customer development and online marketing.

ITP 499 – Game Startup Workshop (2 units)

Prerequisite: none

5:00-7:50pm Th

Itching to start your own game company? This course, through guest speakers, news articles, and business-related exercises, explores the common pitfalls of starting a company in today's environment, and offers solutions, tips, and suggestions to achieve business success. Weekly guest speakers to include CEOs of startups, lawyers who specialize in game-related matters, startup mentors, and others who've been there and done that.

ITP 499 – Applying C++ Debugging (3 units)

Prerequisite: CSCI 102

2:00-3:50pm M/W

This course introduces debugging practices by exposing students to common programming bugs. Systematically students will review the C++ language with the following foci:

Analyzing common pitfalls

Programming defensively to avoid common problems

Diagnosing and correcting coding errors

ITP 499 – Fundamentals of Web Software (3 units)

Prerequisite: CSCI 351 or ITP 300

6:00-8:50pm M

Web software transformed the software industry. It replaced roles previously filled by desktop software. In addition, web software enabled a new category of apps in which data constantly appears from external sources. Be it in social software (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare) in which new data is always appearing from friends, or productivity software (Google Docs) in which compositions are jointly made with team mates, web applications have ushered in a new age of collaboration in a way desktop, offline software cannot.

This course examines the design challenges in creating web based, collaborative applications and in scaling those applications for use by millions of daily users. Programming assignments build upon each other, culminating in the student creating their own web framework.

ITP 499 – Advanced Web Publishing (2 units)

Prerequisite: ITP 104

2:00-4:50pm Tu

Learn cutting edge Web Publishing techniques!

Beyond merely publishing web pages with html and css, this course explores technologies such as html5, css3 and jquery that enable publishers to create more interactive and dynamic pages without needing development or scripting knowledge. The class also teaches the basics of creating sites for mobile devices and multiple screens. And this course will teach students fundamentals webmaster topics such as web analytics and search engine optimization.

Students should have a prior knowledge of basic HTML and CSS

ITP 499 – Pro Tools 10 for Game Audio (3 units)

Prerequisite: none

6:00-8:50pm Th

Please visit the course webpage to learn more AND TO VIEW/LISTEN TO A DEMO:

Half of the game experience is the sound. This is a hands on course that uses the primary tool for sound effects, design, music and dialog: AVID Pro Tools. The course was commissioned by AVID and USC is an AVID learning partner. Upon completion of the course, students can take the inline test and become a certified user. The course is taught by Bill Black, a working game audio veteran who has multiple published AAA titles. He is a music composer, sound designer, and voice over director. This course will cover the creation and implementation of Character Voice Over, Music tracks, and sound effects design, and how they all come together for in-game audio and cinematics. So if you have wanted to create game audio or just see how it's done, this is the course for you.

ITP 499: Graphics Shader Programming (3 units)

Prerequisite: See below

5:00-7:50pm Tu

Please visit the course webpage to learn more:

http://itp.usc.edu/course/98/ITP-499/graphics-shader-programming

Learn about writing graphics shaders, using the RenderMan Shading Language (RSL), the 'gold standard' of shader programming languages. In the course, you will learn how to write shaders from scratch, by making use of powerful and expressive RSL function calls, using C-style syntax. In the process, you will be introduced to topics such as pattern synthesis, global illumination, non-photoreal rendering and shading models. This is a hands-on (lecture+lab) course, where you will gain shader-writing experience by completing assignments throughout the course. In addition, you will work in teams for your final project, where you will also partner with teams from a companion course (ITP 360: 3D Compositing and Visual Effects). The goal is to create shaders requested by the partner teams, for incorporating into their own Maya-based projects (which involve modeling, animation, lighting, rendering). In other words the shaders that you deliver will define the look of the surfaces (geometry) in your partners' scenes.

Prerequisites: familiarity with a programming language such as C/C++/Java/Javascript/Python will help, as will knowledge of 3D computer graphics (specifically, lighting and shading). Exposure to Maya will help as well, but this isn't mandatory.

Date: Monday, March 26
Time: 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Location: GFS 106
Please join us to learn about career opportunities in fast growing areas of SAP Enterprise Cloud Computing and SAP Supply Chain Management / Transportation Management.
GOPA IT Consultants is an international high-end, focused SAP consulting firm with ambitious goals and opportunities. We are a leading SAP services company working very closely with SAP as a key partner. You can learn from our highly skilled experts and premier customers to build a solid career foundation. This is an excellent opportunity for you to become one of the key members of the GOPA team in the US, and help drive our continued success.
Please bring your resume. GOPA is hiring BS/MS students with backgrounds in Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Industrial Engineering with a strong SAP focus. MIS and MBAs are also encouraged to apply. Successful completion of your schools SAP curriculum with emphasis on Supply Chain Management is a pre-condition.
We are also conducting on campus interviews on the 27th of March and will schedule appointments with you right after the info session on the 26th of March.
For more information on opportunities at GOPA, please visit us at:
http://usa.gopa-itc.de/career.html
or contact: angela.rohde@gopa-itc.com
Please feel free to send us your application ahead of time to: recruiting@gopa-itc.com

ITP is very excited and proud to announce that an ITP/ISE student, Maria Angelica (Mica) Lee, has been awarded a scholarship for 2011-2012. The scholarship is awarded by the SAP University Alliances program which ITP embarked on in 1996. This program has matured to one of the most diverse programs in the world (over 1000 Universities are members). The award is for $5000 and can be used for tuition and fees for Spring 2012 or any subsequent semester.
Here is what Mica has to say about her time in ITP and her future plans:

I decided to take advantage of USC's SAP resources by getting involved in classes and obtaining a certification. Theprogram is well-known for providing students with an edge in the consulting, technology, and engineering industries because of the in-depth, hands-on interaction with the software, and I can certainly attest to the truth behind the hype. The diversity of the class is telling; my ITP project teams have always had a strong dynamic because of our diverse academic backgrounds.
Winning the scholarship has been a wonderful honor and I am proud and very grateful to be representing USC. After graduation, I will be working at Deloitte, where I plan to explore the security and privacy aspects of technology consulting, specifically in the use of ERP systems. I look forward to tackling the challenges of this industry and being at the forefront of technology as the use of SAP and ERP systems continues to grow.

Jay Samit is a digital media innovator who has pioneered advancements in music and video distribution, social media and ecommerce. He is currently the CEO of SocialVibe.

The purpose of this class is to teach students the basic technologies and processes involved in the building web and mobile startups. Students will be introduced to the different aspects of building a web startup including Online Business models, Product management, Agile development processes, Technology platforms and Operations, customer development and online marketing.

Jay Samit's Bio:

Jay Samit is CEO of SocialVibe, the Internet’s largest engagement advertising platform. SocialVibe reaches over 660 million hyper-connected social media users each month across Facebook, Zynga, Pandora, and other leading digital, IPTV and mobile properties. SocialVibe clients include such major brands as Apple, AT&T, Best Buy, Coke, Disney, Ford, GE, Kraft, Microsoft, NBC, Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever, Visa, and Warner Bros.

A 25-year digital media veteran, Samit has held senior management positions at Sony, EMI, and Universal Studios with the responsibility for the development of new digital media businesses. Samit served as a senior advisor to help launch Linkedin and is a serial investor in digital start-ups. Samit pioneered social media in the 1990s by developing one of the first million-member online communities for college students. Prior to joining corporate America, Samit founded Jasmine Multimedia Publishing, creating more than 300 software titles, and developing key advances in music and video technologies for Microsoft, Apple, Intel, and IBM. Committed to giving back to the community, Samit was invited by President Clinton to lead the White House’s Initiative for Education & Technology, and spearheaded the effort to create Internet access for America’s schools. Samit‘s other charity work ranges from the first Internet Charity Auction to Tsunami Aid (with NBC) and the Concert for Hurricane Relief (with MTV). Samit is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of UCLA.

SCE has partnered with ITP to offer internships to students in their Information Technology department. In an information session held on Tuesday, Feb 22nd, 2011, SCE campus recruiters and IT managers presented their IT landscape. They also described the new SAP implementation at their company.
ITP is pleased to announce that for the program year 2011 SCE has hired 12 USC students to work in the Information Technology department. Their hope is to expand recruitment at USC next year and the years to come.

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering seeks a Program Director to manage and lead the Information Technology Program (ITP). ITP is an academic program at the Viterbi School of Engineering whose mission is to offer courses in applied technology to all students at USC. The program offers cutting edge and hands on courses in web development, new media, 3D animation, security, programming, video game design and programming, and other innovative topics in information technology. The unit is a leading source of curriculum innovation on campus and is also a leader in integrating emerging instructional technologies in the classroom. The Program Director will hold a faculty position. It is expected, but not required, that this will be a non-tenure track appointment. Over the course of a fiscal year, the position will teach approximately 25% of the time. The remaining 75% is spent leading and managing the program.
Download the announcement (PDF): ITP_Program_Director_Announcement_01-12-2011.pdf

With stories, insights, and lots of laughs, guest lecturer Alex Mayberry shared the production side of game development with over 70 students and guests at Wednesday evening's ITP 280 class.
As a Senior Producer for Diablo III at Blizzard Entertainment, Mayberry sees the role of the producer as difficult to define precisely. "There's nobody who can really tell us how to do our job," he said. "It's little things sometimes. You try to make everyone's life easier."
While artists want a game to be beautiful, programmers want it to be fast, and designers want it to be fun, the producer needs to find a delicate balance between facilitating progress and not imposing his or her own opinions, according to Mayberry.
"At the senior level, it's basically: you get the job done."

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Main Event

Featured Side Events

Mario Kart Wii and Rock Band 2
USC eSports will be demoing the Starcraft 2 Beta!!!!!!

Scheduling

Warm Ups: 5:30 Brackets Created: 5:45 Tourney Begins at: 6 B.Y.O.C. (for the noobs out there, bring your own controllers) for the tournament.
There will be house controllers for Rock Band 2 and Mario Kart Wii.

Sponsoring Groups

Pizza, Soda, and Diddy Riese Cookies
will be served for FREE

Here's a teaser from Carefusion.com
We help our customers measurably improve patient care by focusing on two of the biggest issues affecting healthcare, medication errors and hospital-acquired infections. Our family of products and services are used in over 120 countries and include some of the most widely recognized brand names in their categories:
Pyxis® for medication and supply management, Alaris® for infusion, AVEA® and Pulmonetic Systems™ for ventilation, Jaeger®, SensorMedics® and Micro Medical for respiratory diagnostic instruments, AVAmax® and PleurX® for interventional procedures, V. Mueller® and Snowden-Pencer® for surgical instruments, Nicolet neurodiagnostic instruments, MedMined™ for infection surveillance and ChloraPrep® for preoperative skin preparation.

Are you interested in SAP? Want to know more about how SAP can help you get a job or an internship, or about what professionals in SAP actually do in the field?
Come join us to listen to our panel of experts, and ask them yourself!